If They Survive in the Ebola Ward, They Work On

24. August 2014

Josephine Finda Sellu, deputy nurse matron at a government hospital in Kenema, Sierra Leone, where 15 Ebola nurses have died. Samuel Aranda for The New York Times

KENEMA, Sierra Leone — The best defense against despair was to keep working. Many times, that choice was far from obvious: Josephine Finda Sellu lost 15 of her nurses to Ebola in rapid succession
and thought about quitting herself.

She did not.

Ms. Sellu, the deputy nurse matron, is a rare survivor who never stopped toiling at the government hospital here, Sierra Leone’s biggest death trap for the virus during the dark months of June
and July. Hers is a select club, consisting of perhaps three women on the original Ebola nursing staff who did not become infected, who watched their colleagues die, and who are still carrying
on.

“There is a need for me to be around,” said Ms. Sellu, 42, who oversees the Ebola nurses. “I am a senior. All the junior nurses

look up to me.” If she left, she said, “the whole thing would collapse.”

The other nurses call her Mummy, and she resembles a field marshal in light brown medical scrubs, charging forward, exhorting nurses to return to duty, inspecting food for patients, doing a dance
for once-infected co-workers who live — “nurse survivors,” she called them enthusiastically — and barking orders from the head-to-toe suit that protects her from her patients.

In the campaign against the Ebola virus, which is sweeping across parts of West Africa in an epidemic worse than all previous outbreaks of the disease combined, the front line is stitched
together by people like Ms. Sellu: doctors and nurses who give their lives to treat patients who will probably die; janitors who clean up lethal pools of vomit and waste so that beleaguered
health centers can stay open; drivers who venture into villages overcome by illness to retrieve patients; body handlers charged with the dangerous task of keeping highly infectious corpses from
sickening others.

Their sacrifices are evident from the statistics alone. At least 129 health workers have died fighting the disease, according to the World Health Organization. But while many workers have fled,
leaving already shaky health systems in shambles, many new recruits have signed up willingly — often for little or no pay, and sometimes giving up their homes, communities and even families in
the process.

“If I don’t volunteer, who can do this work?” asked Kandeh Kamara, one of about 20 young men doing one of the dirtiest jobs in the campaign: finding and burying corpses across eastern Sierra
Leone.

When the outbreak started months ago, Mr. Kamara, 21, went to the health center in Kailahun and offered to help. When officials there said they could not pay him, he accepted anyway.

“There are no other people to do it, so we decided to do it just to help save our country,” he said of himself and the other young men. They call themselves “the burial boys.”

Doctors Without Borders trained them to wear protective equipment and to safely clear out dead bodies potentially infected with Ebola. They travel across backbreaking dirt roads for up to nine
hours a day.

Ms. Sellu, who is one of the only Ebola workers at the Kenema hospital who have neither contracted the virus nor fled.

In doing their jobs, the burial boys have become pariahs. Many have been cast out of their communities because of fear that they will bring the virus home with them. Some families refuse to let
them return.

After Mr. Kamara started working, his family said, he was no longer welcome in his village. His uncle, the family patriarch, told him never to come back. At first, he stayed with a friend, but
the man’s wife was afraid and kicked him out, too. With no pay for months, he sometimes begged on the street after work to get enough money for food.

Recently, he talked the owner of a small shop into clearing out enough space in a back room for him to sleep there.

He is finally getting paid, about $6 a day, and he hopes to find a room to rent, probably at an inflated price. Some of the other burial boys have tried to rent apartments but have been refused.

“If I have a long life, I can go back to my people,” Mr. Kamara said. “I can talk to them: ‘I’m doing this job for you.’ Maybe they can understand me.”

At the government hospital a few hours away in Kenema, photographs of the dead nurses are still plastered on the crumbling walls. Notes to young women suddenly cut down, like Elizabeth Lengie
Koroma — “Lengie We All Love U But God Loves U” — offer visual reminders of the pain that remains.

She added, “You are asking, ‘Who is next?’ ” In all, some 22 workers at the hospital died.

The nurses and doctors here had banked on their experience treating Lassa fever, another deadly disease that causes bleeding. But Ebola is of a different order, and they had never seen it before.

With the first cases, the nurses simply used their Lassa goggles. Ebola demands a far more protective face shield. They also used “light gloves,” Ms. Sellu said. Now, she puts on two layers of
heavy-duty rubber gloves. The inadequate initial precautions had fatal consequences, even for the revered young doctor who headed the Lassa unit, Dr. Sheik Umar Khan.

“Such a careful man, always saying, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that,’ ” Ms. Sellu said. “That is the mystery.” Dr. Khan died on July 29, a huge blow to the nation.

Ms. Sellu also spoke about the nurses she had lost to Ebola. Usually so keen on projecting strength to her subordinates, she began to cry.

“It has been a nightmare for me,” she said, her features contorting. “Since the whole thing started, I have cried a lot.” She added: “It came to a time when I was thinking of quitting this job.
It was too much for me.”

But the lesson she drew appeared inevitable to her. “You have no options. You have to go and save others,” Ms. Sellu said. “You are seeing your colleagues dying, and you still go and work.”

At the height of the deaths last month, her two teenage children and her family in the capital, Freetown, urged her to stop. The remaining nurses at the hospital staged a revolt. One morning, 40
of them appeared outside the door of her home in Kenema, yelling, “If one of us dies again, prepare yourself to die!”

Ms. Sellu disobeyed all of them. “I was sneaking in at the end of the day,” she said.

With precision, she recalled the day the nightmare at the hospital began: May 25. In neighboring Guinea, where the epidemic started, the crisis had appeared, falsely, to be abating. In Kenema, a
patient was bleeding profusely.

“The nurses were curious; they called me,” she said. “Dr. Khan said, ‘Do the test.’ ” It was positive for Ebola.

But it was the second case, in the hospital’s private annex for V.I.P.s, “that put the calamity on us,” she said. The patient was a local chief suffering from severe diarrhea and vomiting. He
infected three nurses and a porter. The porter and one nurse died. The dying nurse was pregnant and miscarried, infecting all four nurses who aided in the delivery. All four died.

“There are times when I say, ‘Oh my God, I should have chosen secretarial,’ ” Ms. Sellu said. But her job as a healer, she said, “is the calling of God.”

The Kenema hospital is a different place now. In the last several weeks, with international help, a more rigorous system for screening, filtering and holding Ebola patients has been instituted.
Confidence among the nurses has been restored.

Outside the hospital, they continue to face stigma. Some of Ms. Sellu’s staff spoke of husbands abandoning them and neighbors shunning them. One nurse told of returning home to find her
belongings in suitcases on the sidewalk, and her spouse warning her to stay away. Another nurse, seeking lodgings, lied to the landlord, telling him she was a student.

“If you meet with them, they will balance this way and that not to touch you,” said Veronica Tucker, a nurse who survived an Ebola infection, doing a little jig to demonstrate her experience on
the streets of Kenema.

The epidemic goes on. International aid workers say the official figures — an estimated 2,615 cases and 1,427 deaths in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone — are almost certainly much lower
than the real number of infections and deaths.

Ms. Sellu finds some reason for optimism, though. She has seen the flood of Ebola patients diminish. And she and her nurses are no longer alone in the fight.

“Some went, but we stayed,” said a nurse, Nancy Yoko. “We have kept coming. We never left.”

Ms. Sellu then shooed away her visitors, put on her suit and prepared for work.

Customer Reviews

This place should be called, "percussion heaven". You can find every sort of percussion instrument and accessory here, all in one place. The staff is very friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They
have professional djembes and dunun . They also sponsor local drum circles and have drum classes with the very talented owner as well as master drummers from around the globe. They also offer a
wide variety of CD's. One of the best shops ever!

Michael P.

San Rafael, CA

2/9/2017

5.0 star rating

L R.

Medford, MA

5.0 star rating 2/9/2017

I was thrilled to find that this store doesn't just have hand drums, but is also well-stocked with hardware and parts for rock drum kits. And if they don't stock something you
need, they'll order it for you or point you in the right direction.

Alan, the owner, is extremely knowledgeable and helpful if I have questions or need advice. When I came in last year wanting to restore my vintage kit, I had no idea where to start, and
Alan helped me through the entire process, from cleaning, de-rusting, to finding missing parts. Whenever I have a problem with my kit or something breaks, I always go to Alan
first (it's a good idea to call the store to see when he's working!) Often he'll find a way to fix it without having to purchase new parts.

Definitely recommend this gem over bigger places like Guitar Center.

L R.

Medford, MA

5.0 star rating

Jan 22, 2017

"Hi Alan, Eddie & I LOVED Nancy's classes. We stopped going because it was dark & cold & late & it was the only time we could both make it ( I work nites ) but we
plan to resume classes probably in the spring. I miss it. Rochelle"

R.W.

8/16/2016

5.0 star rating

Purchased beautiful instruments...

I recommend the workshops to all my college student studying world music in the classroom. We've also purchased beautiful instruments I use in my teaching. People marvel at their sound and touch.

Janet W.

Belmont, MA

7/18/2016

5.0 star rating

So much fun...

Participating in a beginners drumming series was so much fun, and I was surprised at what they were able to teach us! We plan to go back as soon as our schedule allow a steady attendance.

Gail C.

Watertown, MA

7/8/2016

5.0 star rating

Great Community...

Just bought my 3rd instrument from this store. Always a pleasure to do business with DrumConnection, and home to a great community of drummers.

Brad B.

Somerville, MA

7/8/2016

5.0 star rating

Honest, original voice...

Way back in 2011, I wrote and published a feature story about Alan Tauber and DrumConnection. Read it at YourArlington

Nothing that has occurred since would cause me to change my mind about Alan and his business: He's an honest, original voice in a fast-changing town, offering a rhythm that is hard to beat.

Bob S.

Arlington, MA

6/20/2016

5.0 star rating

Always a great experience...

Alan is always a pleasure to do business with. He is knowledgeable and very kind. The classes they have are fun and very informative. Always a great experience.

Keirstin P.

Redington Beach, FL

6/23/16

Alan's knowledge is vast...

I needed to replace the head on a djembe. I live on the south shore of MA, and was having a hard time finding a place to do the job. I discovered the DrumConnection through a list serve and found
the best resource I could hope for. Alan's knowledge is vast, and the service was done professionally, on time, and at a reasonable price. I do not need to look any further for my hand drumming
needs.

Dave Y.

5/27/16

It is a privilege to know you...

You play such an important part in drumming education in this country. It is a privilege to know you...

Name withheld upon request.

(but a famous dude in percussion).

5/26/2016

Great Local Place, Great Stuff, Nice People

Bought a present for a friend and they had just what I wanted. They helped me pick the right one. Weren't pushy. Really nice vibe. Will definitely go back when I
need a drum or a present for someone.

At DrumConnection, I began my beginners' class feeling lost and insecure. However, while the drum is quite challenging, I have felt more and more connected to the
group thanks to the wonderful teachers, and the kindness and acceptance of other drummers.

In other words I am deeply indebted and grateful for the opportunity to expand my skills, horizons, and sense of belonging thanks to the drum. The ongoing
learning experience is challenging, exhilarating and humbling. Thank you Alan, Thierno, Audrey, Issa and Moussa, and thank you to all my fellow
students!

Annemarie D-D

5/13/2016 5.0 stars!

Thanks so much. Tuned up my kids drum, very knowledgeable and friendly!

Aaron C

4/28/2016 5.0 stars!

Love DrumConnection in Arlington!

Great teachers including the Masters from West Africa; great drums (all kinds) and accessories. Director and owner, Alan, is an excellent drummer himself, friends
to all and always willing to share his knowledge. Classes & Workshops at all levels challenging and tons of fun. Serious drumming going on here!

M. S.

Brighton, MA

4/27/2016 5.0 stars!

Knowledgeable, and very helpful.

I watched Alan help a gentleman trying to rent an accordion. Yes, this sounds like a Seinfeld script, but it was touching seeing Alan help someone out.
Additionally, the store is well supplied, and the prices are quote reasonable for being able to get your hands on what you need right now. Truly, an asset to the community!

Brian C. J.

Arlington, MA

April 9, 2016, 1:47 p.m.

Great drum....

Friends cannot believe how light it is and how good it sounds. Easy for me to carry. It is also very nice looking, not ornate, just beautiful wooden swirls. Thanks
for all your help on this..... kdl

KD

4/10/16 ; 5 Stars

I have spent several wonderful weekends at DrumConnection studying drumming rhythms with various master drummers (djembefolas) and I just want
to thank Alan and the wonderful community of people I met at there for a wonderful, fun, inspiring and informative time. If I didn't live on Long Island, NY I would be there every week. 5
star rating from me!

Rosie

Long Island, NY

2/24/2016 : 5 Stars!

DrumConnection is a wonderful place. Alan is so helpful, thoughtful and kind. The store has a great selection of drums that will help you connect
to music from all over the world. Highly recommended!

R. C.

Boston, MA

Jan. 16, 2016 : 5 Stars!

No Pressure

Great experience, no pressure to buy or spend more than I wanted to, just the perfect assistance to help me find the right drum for me - a clear joy for drumming
and very welcoming - made me feel right at home.

J. Morley

12/22/2015 : 5 Stars!

A great little store

I was looking for some nifty percussion accessories for my son-in-law and I really didn't want to go the the Guitar Center. What a great place! I got great advice & was able to find
exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for! A perfect shopping trip & well worth the weekly trip down from Cape Ann!

L. Carsman

Cape Ann, MA

5.0 star rating 12/6/2015 Yelp!

I took a beginner drum class here this fall. I was impressed by the business's connection to West African drumming. Thierno, a drummer from Guinea,
was our teacher. If you want to learn drumming, have a weekly class with lots of laughing and meet people from around the world this place is for you.

S K.

Cambridge, MA

5.0 Star Rating 12/4/15 Google+

Alan the owner is always friendly and helpful. When I was looking for a drum, he chose 4 drums he thought I might like, each unique. He helped me
sort out the differences to find the combination of pluses that added up to the perfect drum for me.

Alan the teacher is a non-judgmental, supportive, and clear instructor whose decades of experience and amazing skill as a drummer combine to provide a safe and
inspiring learning environment. I've studied with four other DrumConnection instructors and each is excellent in his or her own ways, and all certified by examination.

A great store and a wonderful school. I recommend it without reservations.

C.

11/15/2015 5.0 Yelp!

The beginner drum class was extra special. Taught by Thierno Keita-what a wonderful escape each week from the work-a-day world into a world of
rhythm and movement. Great for the brain and the soul. Alan Tauber, who runs the Drum Connection could not be kinder or more devoted to his art. This has been a postive turn for me and I will
continue on this road with pleasure.

5.0 star rating 11/11/2015

DrumConnection is an nook of musical magic on Mass Ave in Arlington. The drumming teachers are from Africa, they sponsor workshops and trips to
Africa to learn drumming. Alan the owner is very flexible and understanding with scheduling lessons. The drum selection is fantastic!! I recommend it to everyone I know. What a gem!

M. Thompson

5.0 star rating 11/9/2015 Yelp!

Broad selection of percussion instruments from all over the world. Alan, the owner, really knows a lot about the instruments and the music they
make.

Lane D.

Kingston, MA

5.0 star rating 11/7/2015 Yelp!

We have purchased many instruments from Alan. He knows so much about percussion instruments that we trust him with ordering sight unseen and
have been pleased with our purchases. Prices are very reasonable. We drive 2 hours each way to shop at the Drum Connection and it is worth it.

Sandra T.

Mashpee, MA

5.0 star rating 11/6/2015 Yelp!

You will not find a more beautiful person than Alan to assit you with your journey of learning the drums. I have traveled with Alan to
Guinea, purchased various drums, and attended numerous classes. Have not been able to find the joy I felt when I was involved with the Drum Connection. Please open a southern
location!

Cheryl S.

Estero, FL

5.0 star rating 10/5/2015 Yelp!

The drum I purchased from Alan several years ago is both beautiful and is a joy to use. The classes are fantastic -- designed for all skills levels
and taught by master teachers that are knowledgeable and exciting.

They are patient and know how to break rhythms down to bite size. I have enrolled my 4 year old in the children's drum class and it is dynamic -- teaching movement
and African songs. She loves it and loves her teachers."

Louis K.

Arlington, MA

5.0 star rating 10/19/2015Yelp!

The Best! Thanks!

Purchased my djembe here a few years ago, just bought new skin, Alan and staff always knowledgeable and helpful.

Paul W.

Swampscott, MA

5.0 star rating 8/29/2015 Yelp!

I am new to drumming and am having a ball. I went to a Sunday night lecture and lesson on one type of drums and followed that with 2 Sunday night
drumming circles with an excellent teacher-but not at the rank beginner level. Still, I loved it and just tried to follow and keep up.

Now I am in a beginner class and I am still enjoying every minute. Alan is a kind and welcoming person. He coordinates to bring in a variety of
excellent teachers and classes take place most every day of the week. He gives great advice about what to purchase and has rentals available. Come join the fun!

C.S.

Lexington, MA

5.0 star rating 8/24/2015 Yelp!

This is a great little shop. Alan was able to rent me some drums for my autism caregivers retreat and was very accommodating. The drums
were gorgeous, beautiful sound. Our group had a great time thanks to Drum Connection coming through at the last minute for me. Thank you!

Tami D.

Corona, CA

June 25, 2015

5.0 star rating Excellent Teaching!

This is the first time I took drum lessons. I have taken piano lessons off and on for years. I really enjoy playing the drums. I had two teachers. They both had
their individual style of teaching. I found that Alan is an excellent teacher. I would recommend anyone with a desire to learn drumming to check out DrumConnection. I haven't
gone to their drum circle yet, but that's the next step for me. I am finishing up my first six weeks of classes, two more classes to go.

August 4, 2015

5.0 star rating 8/4/2015 Yelp!

I'm new to the djembe and drum circles in general. The drum circle I attended last week was a blast. Very relaxed and friendly, the drumming was amazing. Alan and
Fanta were both very warm and welcoming. As others have noted, great energy. I'm definitely going back.

July 6, 2015

5.0 star rating Incredible Drums!

I returned to the store today to purchase my first djembe. Alan was more than helpful. He gave a mini-lesson on the spot so I would know how to evaluate the variety
of drums, their tonal differences, etc. He also played several of them for me to have a better impression of what it sounds like once technique is mastered. The drum I finally settled on is
incredible, love it. My wife was looking for a bodhran, and he gave demonstrations of those as well!

July 8, 2015

Way better than 5 stars!

Alan clearly loves what he is doing and it shows in the friendly, professional and deeply knowledgeable service. Way better than 5 stars.

June 10, 2015

5 Stars!

Alan was so helpful. He came highly recommended, and lived up to it. I got a wonderful drum for my nephew - have not yet given it to him, but he is
going to love it.

Enid S.

April 8, 2015

Five stars all the way!

Honestly, I can't say enough good things about DrumConnection. Alan and John helped me pick out the perfect drum, and when I came in tonight, Alan talked with me
for at least an hour about technique, the history of the djembe coming to America, and more. The place is warm and inviting, and the people who work there are the same. I am confident I chose the
best place to start my drumming journey, and I will be back for their classes! Five stars all the way!

Amanda S.

March 7, 2015

Amazing Store.

My son is now starting drum lessons. We stopped in to purchase a drum pad and drum sticks. This is an amazing store. There is much to learn about
choosing an instrument that suits you...and we were encouraged not to rush in and spend a lot of money at this stage. The store is packed with drums (mostly hand drums) and each visitor is
encouraged to try out items that spark their interest. While visiting, my son tried several thumb pianos as well.

March 6, 2015

Smiling!

Fanta lead our group of 21 drummers thru two hours of song, dance, and drumming. Everybody was smiling at the end of the evening. What a deal for 10 bucks!

Charles D.

February 24, 2015

Fantastic Place

Drum Connection is a fantastic place to take African drumming lessons, meet some wonderful people and really expand your horizons by attending workshops with master drummers from West Africa.
It's been a life changing experience for me. I am so blessed to part of Alan and Fanta's community.

Tom B.

February 13, 20115

Personal Results

As always Alan was right there to make sure I got exactly what I was looking for. He even sent me a photo/text to confirm that he had the correct size, shape and
sound of rattle I needed. This was that perfect combination of personal service and immediate results.

Tony V.

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February 5, 2015

Perfect

Hey just wanted to write you a note to tell you how much I absolutely love the drum! It was the perfect choice for me. The slaps are just incredible and yet it
gives good bass response. I brought it to work to play with the children and it was just such the perfect instrument. It’s just the right one for me and I'm really thrilled with it. Thanks so
much.

Steve S.

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January 24, 2015

Satisfied

Thanks Alan for your undivided attention today as I purchased the replacement head for the djembe I had previously bought at DrumConnection. Could not be more
satisfied!